Here is some ideas that I came across that have helped me redo things for this Fall.
When it comes to clothing, having something unique is fantastic. Better yet is something that’s made especially for you, but for most of us it’s a complete luxury!
Not everyone can afford a personal seamstress and those who can sew often don’t have the time to make something from scratch. We’ve come up with the perfect solution for girls who want a wardrobe that’s uniquely their own.
Strap Swap Out
This is a totally basic trick which is fantastic for girls who can’t wear spaghetti straps or strapless items. If you find something that you love but don’t totally agree with, simply swap out the straps! Try replacing spaghetti straps with lengths of ribbon that you tie over the shoulder or sewing comfy jersey fabric straps onto a strapless beach dress. You can even make that tank dress a racer back by snipping and then crossing over the straps before re-sewing.
Ribbon Edging
A great way to liven up basic tanks or those cheap as chips cotton skirts from Farmers and Valley Girl, is to add a little contrasting ribbon around the outside. Paired with an ad hoc ribbon bow, it’s a cute and simple look. Try a contrasting colour for a real point of difference. World is doing black chiffon with green and yellow silk ribbon edging this season, with great effect.
Print It
A basic tee, hoodie, pair of jeans or plain dress can be transformed into something completely unique to you. In a
sea of mass produced slogan tees this is a good way to adopt a trend without sacrificing your own personality. All you really need is fabric paint and a little individuality - and with so much out there at the moment in the way of sporty separates now is the cheapest and best time to give it a go. To get inspired search design sites for great ideas, but don’t forget to start small – a less ambitious project is more likely to work the first time, so build up to your really cool ideas.
Button Surgery
Although this doesn’t seem like it would have much of an effect, it honestly can make a huge difference. Next time you buy a cardigan or jacket (or skirt with button feature) unstitch all the buttons and replace them. For example I
recently got a long line cardi on sale from SUPRE for $13.00. I snipped off the plastic buttons it came with and replaced them with tiny vintage diamante ones from an antique store. Wrapped with a ribbon, it now looks like a softer, more sophistcated version of its former self.
Reconstruct
As far as basic tees and garments go, there is a lot you can do with them. In fact the act of recreating tees has formed a little bit of an online buzz and there are numerous tutorials online – from how to make a bag or skirt, to the basics of doing things like turning a tee into a halter neck. It’s a fantastic thing to get into and can provide some pretty amazing results.
Anya Merryfield
